Woodhouse Spring/Summer 2018 New York

By Aria Hughes

Julian Woodhouse just wants to have fun. The designer has left his post as an executive officer in the U.S. Army and relocated from Seoul to New York. He used his move to the Big Apple and the political climate to inform his collection, which he titled Field Day.

“There’s so much happening globally and it’s hard to sit back and have fun,” Woodhouse said. “I wanted it to be boyish, because that’s when I feel most comfortable.”

Boyish it was. Models held baseball bats and stood on wooden box crates while wearing some familiar playground staples: denim overalls, tank tops, cargo shorts and baseball caps covered with comical messages, a signature for the designer. One baseball cap, which was adorned with a lanyard, read, “Make Menswear Great Again. But Really Tho.”

Woodhouse made the line feel more grown-up with a few tailored pieces including striped trousers, which were paired with a matching shirt, and a sleeveless single-breasted overcoat. The color-blocked parka made from athletic mesh and vinyl was a standout as were the “W” graphics he placed on the back of jackets that were reminiscent of Cross Colours, the streetwear brand from the late Eighties.

Although Woodhouse is only a few seasons in, he’s established a consistent aesthetic while also managing to bring something new to the table. And he achieved that again with this playful collection.